Office etiquette is a game-changer. It can make or break a company’s culture and even impact its success. In honor of National Business Etiquette Week, we’ve put together 50 practical tips to help you create a positive and productive office environment.
- Keep it down: An office isn’t a rock concert. Aside from necessary noise like phone calls or discussions, try to keep the volume low. We’re all here to work, after all.
- Silence your personal phones: Loud ringtones can be disruptive and annoying.
- Avoid personal calls at your desk: Chatting about your weekend plans isn’t exactly work-related. Try to keep personal calls out of office hours.
- Respond promptly: When you get messages from colleagues, reply as soon as you can. Don’t keep them waiting.
- Respect your colleagues: In an open office, respect is key to a friendly and effective company culture. Treat others as you’d like to be treated.
- Don’t interrupt: It’s rude and shows poor social skills.
- Watch your body language: It speaks volumes. Crossed arms and lack of eye contact can come off as rude.
- Be polite: Please and thank you go a long way, especially at work.
- Be friendly: A pleasant attitude makes the office a nicer place to be, which helps retain and attract employees.
- Show interest in your colleagues: Take a genuine interest in their hobbies and pastimes.
- Share your interests: Be open about your own hobbies and interests.
- Share credit: If you worked on a successful project or task together, make sure everyone gets their due credit.
- Be a team player: Good teamwork generates goodwill, which is often reciprocated.
- Help new employees: We’ve all been the new kid. Show them the ropes, like break times and where to make a drink.
- Introduce new employees: Help them put names to faces by introducing them to the team.
- Help struggling colleagues: If you can lend a hand, do it. Most businesses thrive on teamwork.
- Keep smiling: It helps create a pleasant and friendly working environment.
- Don’t be late: Being on time is a basic requirement of office etiquette.
- Praise good work: Show appreciation and gratitude where it’s due.
- Remember names: It shows respect.
- Treat everyone fairly: Avoid favoritism.
- Don’t get too personal: It’s nice to be friendly, but too much can seem unprofessional.
- Avoid cursing: It’s a definite no-no.
- Respect privacy and space: Collaboration is important, but so is giving each other room to work.
- Be mindful of smells: Eat away from your desk to avoid creating a smelly environment.
- Maintain personal hygiene: No one wants to sit next to someone who smells bad.
- Don’t overdo the perfume or aftershave: Too much can be just as bad as too little.
- Dress appropriately: Even if your office is casual, respect the dress code.
- Keep your desk tidy: It shows you’re organized and professional.
- Keep personal items in one place: Don’t let your stuff take over the office.
- Help keep the office tidy: It’s a team effort.
- Stay home if you’re sick: Don’t risk spreading germs.
- Cover your mouth when you sneeze: It helps prevent the spread of germs.
- Use hand sanitizer: It’s an effective way to prevent germs from spreading.
- Dispose of tissues properly: Don’t leave them lying around.
- Listen to others’ ideas and opinions: It’s part of respecting your team.
- Be tolerant of others’ opinions: You won’t always agree, and that’s okay.
- Avoid gossip: It can ruin the office atmosphere.
- Focus on the positives of your job: Negativity can rub off on your colleagues.
- Hold regular team meetings: Encourage everyone to share ideas and raise concerns.
- Don’t be late to meetings: It’s disrespectful to the host.
- Be attentive in meetings: Show you’re engaged by responding to questions and offering ideas.
- Set company goals: They give employees something to work towards.
- Introduce incentives and rewards: They can help create a more positive company culture.
- Encourage healthy office banter: It can make the workday more fun, as long as it doesn’t turn into ridicule.
- Be mindful of office furniture: Slouching or putting your feet up doesn’t look professional.
- Be responsible for your tasks: If you agree to do something, see it through.
- Communicate effectively: Keep your colleagues informed about tasks and ideas.
- Focus on the positives, not the negatives: We all have good and bad qualities. Try to focus on the good.
- Don’t rush out the door at the end of the day: Staying a few minutes late shows dedication.
Remember, office etiquette is a crucial part of company culture. Following these tips can help create a positive, efficient work environment and earn you a good reputation, which could lead to bigger and better things.
